A Different Ending
by kalinda001
Summary: A different ending to the final episode of the series. Angst with the promise of something more. Inspired from an idea by Type 40 on LiveJournal.


Blake entered the tracking gallery with Arlen in tow. He saw a very familiar face.

_Avon! Finally! I've been waiting for you. _

At the sight of his friend, the burdens of the past few years seemed to fall from Blake's shoulders. Avon would watch his back again and everything would be alright. He wasn't sure why but all he could do was stare at his friend.

Avon brought his rifle up to cover Blake.

_Who is this? _Avon wasn't sure. The scarred and embittered man before him looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

_Have you really become the bounty hunter? Have you been reduced to this? Maybe I should have come for you sooner. You always did need me to watch your back, _thought Avon.

Avon realized that it was foolish to expect to find the Blake he remembered. Time had passed. It appeared that it had not been kind to either one of them.

_Do I look as worn down to you, as you do to me? Why don't you say something?_

The young Tarrant asked, "Is it him?"

Vila replied, "It's him."

Avon noticed that Vila didn't sound too eager to great this familiar stranger either.

_Is that what time has done to us? Have we become familiar strangers? No longer knowing if we can trust each other?_

Tarrant said to Avon, "He sold us, Avon. All of us. Even you."

Avon lowered his gun and took a step forward. He didn't want to believe it.

He didn't want to believe that the friend he had been looking for, for so long would do betray him; as so many had done before. He needed to hear that Blake was still his friend.

Avon asked, "Is it true?" _Tell me that it's not true._

Avon realized that in the intervening years he tended to remember the good and not the bad about Blake. He had been happy when ORAC had finally found his long lost friend. But faced with the reality of this man before him, a man who seemed hardened by too many battles, it reminded him too much of the man who was so obsessed with his cause, that he blindly sacrificed the safety of his friends to the fight. Avon remembered.

Blake answered, "Avon, it's me, Blake." He moved towards Avon.

_Don't you remember me? I'm your friend, _thought Blake.

Avon shouted, "Stand still!"

Blake was shocked by the vehemence in Avon's voice. He stopped moving forward.

Avon asked, "Have you betrayed us? Have you betrayed me?!" His mind was in turmoil. His voice reflected a confusion of anger, hurt and deep disappointment.

Blake said, "Tarrant doesn't understand!"_ I thought you of all people would, Avon. I thought you would understand what I was doing._

Avon said, "Neither do I, Blake!"

_Why can you not answer a straight question Blake? Are you doing what you did when we were on the Liberator? Keeping the truth from me, so that I will not know what you are really up to?_

Blake said, "I set this all up!"

"Yes!" shouted Avon. _Finally some truth! You set this all up. Your precious Cause proved to be more important to you after all. The young fool Tarrant was right for once._

Blake started forward again, "Avon, I was waiting for YOU."

Avon didn't want to hear anymore. His friend, his best friend had betrayed him.

_Like Anna. Like Tynus. Like so many others. I thought you were different Blake, but I should have remembered. When it came to your obsession, none of us mattered. Not even me._

Arlen had been watching this exchange with great interest. Her assignment, her successful assignment was almost at an end. She had Blake exactly where she wanted him. Soon he would be neutralized and his pathetic band of criminals wiped out.

_You were so easy to fool_, thought Arlen. _Such an easy mark._

All it took was a little pretense. A little attitude.

_What is Blake doing? _Arlen couldn't believe that anyone could be so stupid to not to answer such a simple question; when it was clear that something horrible was about to happen. She could see it on Avon's face; the pain and the anger. The man was clearly on the edge.

Avon brought his gun up to shoot Blake.

Arlen had had enough of this. Not only was her mark easy, it also seemed that he was a fool.

_Not only are you going to get all your group killed, you're going to drive your own friend to kill you? I hate fools._

She aimed her gun quickly and fired two quick bursts into Blake's body. Blake turned to face her in surprise. There was a look of confusion on his face and then understanding; before the life went out of his eyes.

Avon watched in shock as Blake fell at his feet. For a moment, he wasn't sure if he was the one who had fired the shots. He remembered wanting to.

Deva rushed in.

He said, "Blake! They've found us! The base is under --" He stopped in his tracks as he saw Blake's dead body. "Arlen, what happened?

Arlen replied, "He happened." She coldly shot Deva and then said, "Be so kind as to drop your guns, all of you."

Three guns dropped to the ground.

Avon was motionless; still holding the rifle. He didn't seem to have heard Arlen. His face was blank as he stared down at Blake's lifeless body.

There were sounds of an explosion in the distance.

Arlen said, "You and this nest of rebels are now prisoners of the Federation. Your friend Blake said he couldn't tell anymore who was Federation and who wasn't. He was right. He couldn't."

Avon looked up at Arlen. There was no confusion on his face now. Just shock and anger.

Before Arlen could register the change, Avon had brought his rifle up and fired three shots into her. Arlen fell dead. He looked down at Blake again.

Everything was pandemonium as Federation troops burst in.

They all tried to defend themselves but it was hopeless. They were vastly outnumbered. Dayna, Vila and Soolin fell first.

Avon was no help as he stood frozen over Blake's body again. He couldn't believe that he had almost made a horrible mistake.

_You were my friend after all. My one true friend. Ironic that it took an enemy for both of us to realize it. It was never easy between us, was it? We were always our own worst enemies. You can rest in peace now, my friend. I killed the true betrayer._

Tarrant shouted out, "Avon!" He too fell as a trooper shot and killed him.

The shout startled Avon from his thoughts. He looked up as Federation troopers surrounded him.

Avon stepped over Blake's body protectively. He calmly raised his rifle. Avon smiled.

"No. Don't kill him," instructed a woman's voice.

Avon didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Servalan!

"What name are you wearing today?" he asked without turning around. His hands were still gripped around the rifle.

With every ending, there is a new beginning.


End file.
